Variable-speed driving mechanism.



No. 742,025. EATENTED OCT. 20,1903.

' A. HERBERT & P. V. VERNON.

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1902.

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, A.-HERBERT & P. VQVERNON. VARIABLE SPEED DRIVING MECHANISM.

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WL t n ersises No. 742.025. PATENTED OUT. 20, 1903. A. HERBERT & P. V. VERNON. VARIABLE SPEED DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 11,1902.

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No. 742,025. I .E'atented October 20, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- ALFRED HERBERT, OF KENILWORTH, AND PERCY VENABLES VERNON, OF

COVENTRY, ENGLAND.

VARIABLE-SPEED DRIVING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,02 5, dated October 20, 1903.

Application filed July 11 1902. Serial No. 115,225. (No model.)

T aZl whom it may concern: wise secured. The followers of the lower set Be it known that we, ALFRED HERBERT, reare mounted loosely on a third shaft F, which siding at Kenilworth, and PERCY VENABLES carries a gear-wheel from which the motion VERNON,residingat Coventry,county ofWarmay be taken, or the motion may be taken 5 wick, England, subjects of the King of Engfrom either end of this shaft.

land, have invented certain new and useful The followers of each set of gears are adapt- Improvements in or Relating to Variableed to be connected to their shafts by rise- Speed Driving Mechanism, of which the foland-fall keys G and H, which are mounted in lowing is a specification. longitudinal grooves or slots F F in their reto This invention relates to variable-speed spective shafts F F. One end of the key G driving mechanism, and refers more particu- -is connected by'a pivot-pin G to a sleeve G, larly to a change-speed device or mechanism which ismounted loosely on the shaft and is for gearings in which two or more trains o provided with a spring G resting in a recess sets of gear-wheels are employed. in the sleeve and bearing on the end of the I 5 The chief object of this invention is to prokey in such a manner as to cause the other vide means for operating the locking-keys or end of the key or a projection G thereon to controlling-levers of each set of gears simulenter one or other of the grooves or slots B taneously or in the desired order, so thatby which are formed in the hubs of the wheels moving a single lever, rod, or equivalent in BB 13 by means of which any one of the 20 one or other direction the required increase .wheels can be connected to the shaft as door decrease of speed is obtained. sired. A controlling-lever G for the key G Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a ispivoted to the casing at G and carries a front sectional elevation, Fig. 2 a plan,-and shoe or fork G The key H is connected to Fig. 3 an end elevation, of a variable-speed a similar sleeve H by a pin H and a projec- 25 gear having controlling or change mechanism" tion H on its free end is pressed into engagein accordance with our invention. Fig. 4 is ment with slots 1) in the hubsof the wheels a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 D D D by a spring H is a distorted section of the gear, the various H is a controlling-lever for the key H and shafts being arranged in the same plane to .is pivoted to the casing at H. The lever car- 30 show the parts clearly. Fig. 6 is adeveloped ries at its free end a shoe or fork H which 7 view of the cam-drum. Fig. 7 is a sectional rests in a radial groove in the sleeve H.

end view of a modified constructiomshowing The keys G and H are operated in the the employment of two cam-drums; andFigs. proper order to give the sequence of speeds 8 and 9 are vertical and cross sections of a by means of a drum or cylinder I, which is 3 5 yielding connection disposed between the key mounted on the shaftE and is provided with and the wheel-hub. Fig. 10 is a developed ltwo separate and independent cam-grooves I view of the cam-drum, having the cam'slots' 1 formed as shown in the developed view formed continuously around it. Fig. 6. The groove 1 controls the lever G The gearing consists of two trains or sets of for key G and the groove 1 controls the le- 4o gear-wheels, each set consisting of three pairs ver H with the key H. A projection G on of wheels and adapted to give nine speeds in the lever G rests in the cam-groove l at the a forward and also'in areverse direction. In upper side of the drum, and a projection H the upper set the wheels A A A are the ,rests in the groove 1 at the lower side theredrivers and B B B the followers. 0 O (J of. (See Fig. 4..) As the drumis rotated in 5 45 are the drivers and D D D the followers of one or the other direction the keys move 1onthe lower set or train. The drivers of the upgitudinally to connect one or other of the gearper'set are keyed or otherwise fixed to the wheels to their respective shafts to give the main or'driving shaft E, and the followers B requisite speeds. The corresponding numbers B B are mounted loosely on a secondary or on the two camgrooves in Fig. 6 denote the too 50 counter shaft F, upon which also the drivers position of the projections of the controlling O O C of the lower train are keyed or otherlevers for each speed, and similar numbers are placed upon the disk 1 by which the drum is rotated. This disk is connected to a sleeve 1 upon which the drum is mounted, and any numbers. or other marks corresponding to the different speeds obtainable are placed on the outer face of the disk, or they may be placed around its periphery. An indicator S or other mark is placed upon the casing contiguous to the disk and is so arranged that by bringing a numeral or other mark on the disk beneath this pointer the speed indicated by that numeral is at once obtained as the cams are moved to connect to their respective shafts the necessary Wheels for that speed,or the disk may carry a pointer, and the numerals or other indicating-marks may be carried on a scale or the like mounted contiguous to the disk.

In order to prevent the cam from rotating accidentally, a spring-bolt S is provided and is adapted to enter one of the series of notches or openings in the disk to hold it stationary, or any other appropriate means may be provided for preventing the drum from rotating.

Instead of employing a disk we may employ a crank arm or lever having a suitable handle or other device for facilitatingits rotation, and we may provide on this arm a pointer or other indicator.

The shaft E is driven by a pulley K, and the motion is taken from a toothed wheel L on the shaft F, which gears with a wheel L, connected with a bevel-wheel L gearing with a corresponding wheel on a shaft M.

When the shaft M is being driven at the lowest speed, the keys G and H are in engagement with the wheels B and D, respectively, as shown in Fig. 5, the projections on the controlling-levers being in the positions 1 in the cam-grooves I 1 respectively, and the dial in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Vhen the dial is rotated to bring the numeral 2 thereon under the pointer, the cam 1' causes the lever to move the key G out of engagement with the wheel B and into engagement with the wheel 13, and the third speed is obtained by a further rotation of the disk until the numeral 3 is under the pointer, which causes the key G to move in the manner stated into engagement with the wheel B During these motions the cam 1 does not move the lever I1 controlling the key H, which remains in engagement throughout these three speeds with the wheel D, as will be obvious from the formation of the camslots, as shown in Fig. 6. A further rotation of the drum for the fourth speed causes the controlling-lever for the upper train to moveinto the position 4 of its respective cam, causing the key G to move back into engagement with the wheel B, and the key H is now moved from engagement with the wheel D into engagement with the hub of the wheel D, its controlling-lever 1-1 being now in the position 4:, indicated on its cam-slot. These series of motions are continued throughout the entire cycle of the speeds, the key G being moved successively from engagement with the wheel B to the wheel B and then to the wheel B and back again to the wheel B, and the key II of the lower train is advanced from one wheel tothe other only when the key of the upper train moves back from the wheel B into engagement with the wheel B. The cams may be arranged to move through any other convenient series of motions to give the desired sequence of speeds. When the ninth or highest speed has been reached, the direction of rotation of the cam-drum is reversed, so that a corresponding sequence of speeds can be obtained in a gradually-decreasing ratio, or the mechanism can be returned by a single revolution of the cam-drum from the highest to the lowest speeds, or the cam-slots may be formed continuously around the drum, so as to obtain aquicker translation from the highcst speed, as will be obvious.

The belt-pulley K is provided with reversing-wheels, so that the direction of rotation of thegearcan bereversed. Inside the pulley are mounted on an axle K double planet-pinions N, which gear with a central stationary pinion N and with a pinion N mounted loose on the shaft E. The wheels A A A are connected to the shaft in such a manner as to be rotated thereby, but also to allow the shaft to move axially independent of the wheels. Formed on or connected tothe other end of the shaft is a rod E, which extends through the center of the disk and is provided with a suitable head or other device for convenience in pulling the rod so as to move the shaft axially. At the driving end the shaft is pro- Vided with projections or cotters E which, according to the position of the shaft, are moved into engagement with teeth or notches K in the hub of the pulley K or with similar notches N on the wheel N When the cotters on the shaft are in engagement with the teeth on the pulley-hub, direct drivingis obtained, and when they are in engagement with the teeth in the pinion N this latter is locked to the shaft and is driven by the planetpinions, which rotate epicyclically around the stationary pinion and cause the shaft to be rotated in the opposite direction, and when the teeth are in the central or mid position the driving-pulley is disconnected from the shaft and no motion is communicated thereto.

We do not wish to confine ourselves to the cams precisely as shown, as these may be modified to cause the keys to operate to give changes of speed in any other order or sequence. Additional wheelsmayalsobeadded to each set or nest and the cam-grooves modified to suit these additions and cause the keys to engage successively with the four, five, or other number of wheels in the set. Instead, however, of increasing the number of Wheels in each set one or more additional independent sets mounted on additional shafts may be provided,and an additional and separate camdrum may be employed for each set. In order to permit of both or all of the cam-drums being operated by a single disk or arm, it or theyis or are geared with the first cam-dru m in such a manner as to be rotated by it at a suitable relative speed thereto. For example, we may, as shown in Fig. 7, provide a secondary cam-drum 1 having a toothed wheel 1 gearing with a toothed wheel 1 on the main drum I, the relative proportion of the wheels If I being preferably two to one, so that this secondary cam will be rotated at half the speed of themain cam. The first nine speeds are obtained by rotating the main drum I, as above described. A lever O, having a projection O resting in a camslot in the drum 1', is provided with a fork or shoe 0 which engages with a collar or sleeve P, which controls the movement of the rise-andfall key of the additional wheels, which are mounted on a shaft Q. These additional wheels are similar to the wheels D D D and receive motion from drivers on the shaft F similar to the drivers 0 0 C During the first nine speeds the key of the addition set remains in contact with the hub of the first wheel thereof, which is therebylocked to the shaft, and after the first cycle of the main cam has been completed the cam-slot in the drum 1 causes the sleeve to move into engagement with the hub of the second wheel, in which position it remains through another complete cycle of operations of the main cam, and so on with the other wheel or wheels in the set.

Instead of employing gear-Wheels I I on the cam-drums in the proportions of two to one these two gears may be of any convenient proportion to each other so long as they impart to the various controlling-levers and keys the movements necessary to produce the desired sequenceof speeds.

In order that the main cam may be rotated successively in one direction, the cam-slots therein are carried entirely around the periphery of the drum.

A handle T is provided for rotating the main cam-drum, and a circular scale T is mounted coaxial with the second cam-drum, which carries a pointer T In order to minimize or obviate any shock that may come on the parts when changed from one speed to another and to enable these changes to be made at high speed without sudden stress on any part of the mechanism, there is or may be disposed between the hubs of the wheels and their shafts a sleeve R, which is a loose fit on the shaft and has in its periphery'a slot or recess R, adapted to receive wedges or locking-pieces Ricorresponding to each wheel, and which form a friction-clutch to connect each wheel-hub to the sleeve. Beneath each locking-piece is with the wheel=hub and the, sleeve isconnected to the shaft by the rise-and-fall key and the eccentric. When the key is raised to lock the wheel to the shaft, the end of the key or a projection thereon'comes into contact with the eccentric, which is therefore shaft without any relative movement of the parts. i

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets or trains of fast and loose gears of a locking device for each set of loose gears an operating-lever connected with each locking device and a rotatable cam-drum having peripheral slots for moving all the operating-levers relatively substantially as described.

2. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets or trains of fast and loose gears of a rise-and-fall key for each set of loose gears a collar on the end of each key an operating-lever connected with the collar a cam drum having peripheral slots with which the operating-levers engage and means for rotating the cam-drum to move all the operating-levers relatively substantially as described.

3. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets or trains of fast and loose gears of a spring-controlled riseand-fall key for each set of loose gears, a collar on the end of each rise-and-fall key, a controlling-lever for each key, a rotatable drum, having separate cam-slots for each controllinglever and means for rotating the drum substantially as described.

4. In variable-speed gearing the combina tion with a plurality of sets of fast and loose gears ,of a rise-and-fall key for each set of loose gears, a controlling-lever for each key, a rotatable drum, having separate cam-slots for each controlling-lever, a sleeve connected to the drum, a handle on the sleeve, a springpin for preventing the accidental rotation of the drum, a driving-pulley and reversinggear in the pulley, substantially as described.

5. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets of fast and loose gears, of a rise-and-fall key for each set of loose gears, a controlling-lever for each key, a rotatable drum, having separate cam-slots for each controllinglever, a sleeve connected to the drum, a handle on the sleeve, a springpin for preventing the accidental rotation of the drum, a driving-pulley and reversinggear .in the pulley, and means for operating the reversin g-gear,substantially as described.

6. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets or trains of fast and loose gears of a spring-con trolled rise-andfall key for each set of loose gears a collar on the end of each-rise-and-fall key a controlling-lever for each key a rotatable drum having separate cam-slots for each controllinglevermeans for rotating the drum and means for preventing sudden shock between the parts at the moment of engagement of each loose gear substantially as described.

7. In variablerspeed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets or trains of fast and loose gears of a spring-controlled riseand-fall key for each set of loose gears a collar on the end of each rise-and-fall key .a controlling-lever for each key, a rotatable drum having separate cam-slots for each controllinglever, means for rotating the drum, means for preventing sudden shock between the parts at the moment of engagement of each loose gear, and means for reversing the gear substantially as described.

8. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of trains of fast and loose gears, of a rise-and-fall key for each set of loose gears, a controlling-lever for each key, a rotatable drum, having separate cam-slots for each controlling-lever, a sleeve connected to the drum, a handle on the sleeve, a springpin for preventing the drum from rotating accidentally, a scale and pointer for determining the position of the drum for the various speeds, a driving-pulley, planet-pinions carried by the pulley, a fast pinion and a loose pinion gearing with the planet-pinions, means -for moving the shaft axially to connect the driving-pulley or the loose pulley thereto and means for preventing sudden stress to the parts at the moment of engagement of the gears, substantially as described.

9. In variable-speed gearing the combination with a plurality of sets or trains of fast ALFRED HERBERT. P. V. VERNON.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK FLOYD, JOSEPH JOHNSON. 

